Refuge · 2500 m
Rifugio Albert Deffeyes
At 2,494 metres above La Thuile, the Deffeyes hut faces the snout of the Rutor glacier and its meltwater lakes, in one of the finest glacial amphitheatres in the Aosta Valley. A base for the Rutor lakes circuit, the ascent of the Testa del Rutor and the Tour du Rutor; reached along the trail of the three waterfalls.
Altitude
2500 m
Valley
La Thuile
Beds
92
History
Dedicated to Albert Deffeyes, president of the Aosta section of the CAI, it stands where the shepherds' way to the high alps once passed. The outbursts of the Santa Margherita glacial lake, which devastated the valley until the 19th century, made the Rutor a pioneering laboratory of Italian glaciology.
Contact & booking
Official manager details — always check opening dates and rates on the website before you go.
Where it is
45.6754, 6.9859 · 2500 m
How to get there
Effort to reach it
Difficulty of the access trails: E, +375–1070 m (CAI scale).
What to bring
A sleeping-bag liner (required in many huts), cash (cards are often not accepted at altitude), a change of clothes and warm layers for the evening, a headlamp, a water bottle. Always book your bed and meals in advance, and let the hut know if you cancel.
What to do there
Enjoy dinner in good company and the sunset from the terrace. Many use the hut as a base for a dawn departure: ask the keeper about trail and weather conditions before setting out, and start light while the snow is still firm. The climbing routes are on the trail pages above.
Nearby peaks
Community gallery
Photos are published immediately. JPG/PNG/WebP, max 6 MB.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors
Rifugio Albert Deffeyes